Brian Cox to voice Rankin and McIlvanney audiobook

Emmy award-winning Scottish actor Brian Cox has been confirmed as the audiobook reader for The Dark Remains, the new novel by Ian Rankin and William McIlvanney, published by Canongate. 

McIlvanney died in 2015, and a handwritten unfinished manuscript, detailing the story of central character Jack Laidlaw’s first case was discovered. Rankin, a fan of the crime fiction giant, finished the novel, which explores the criminal world of 1970s Glasgow.

The audiobook will be launched on 2nd September 2021, alongside the hardback publication, and will be available exclusively through Audible.

The publisher's synopsis explains: "McIlvanney's Laidlaw books changed the face of crime fiction, inspiring a generation of crime writers including Chris Brookmyre, Val McDermid, Mick Herron, Denise Mina – and Ian Rankin. When he died in 2015, McIlvanney left half a handwritten manuscript of Laidlaw's first case. Now, Ian Rankin is back to finish what McIlvanney started. In The Dark Remains, these two iconic authors bring to life the criminal world of 1970s Glasgow, and Laidlaw's relentless quest for truth."

Commenting on the book, Cox said: "[McIlvanney] really set the standard. His ideas were very original and it’s great that Ian has taken that mantle on and has, respectfully, done this extraordinary fusion. This is the perfect marriage."

Rankin added: "I can’t think of anyone better suited to capture the spirit and essence of Jack Laidlaw than the spellbinding Brian Cox."

Francis Bickmore, Canongate publishing director, said: "The combination of Brian Cox, Ian Rankin and William McIlvanney for The Dark Remains audiobook is unbeatable. Hot off the heels of filming the third season of "Succession", we are thrilled that Brian was able to apply his magnetic reading voice to the audiobook of the new Laidlaw book. A long-term fan of the thrillers of both McIlvanney and Rankin, he was always the dream reader. I hope fans will want to read this novel once in hardback and then enjoy it all over again in audio."